Truss.



No. 638,365. Patented Dec. 5, |899. L. A. & C. SMITH.

T R U S S (Application med Feb. 4, 1898.)

(No Model.)

TH: Nonms Patins co. Phmouma.. wnsmmmmA n. c.

' rrnn Praras LUOIUS A. SMITH AND CLEMENT SMITH, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 638,365, dated December 5, 1899.

Application filed February 4, 1898. Serial No. 669,144. (N0 model.)

T0 all whom, it muy concern:

Be it known that we, LUCIUS A. SMITH and CLEMENT SMITH, citizens of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tru sses, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to trusses, and more particularly to means for fastening the padbodies of trusses upon patients.

I-Ieretofore the great difference in the body measurements of persons afflicted with hernia and kindred diseases has compelled dealers to keep a large number of trusses with belts of different lengths on hand in order to be able to fit any patient who might present himself. The belts are ordinarily formed of elastic material, which is liable to deteriorate in time and become worthless, and consequently the necessity of keeping a large number of trusses in stock occasions the dealer a considerable loss.

Our invention seeks to obviate the necessity of a dealer keeping a large number of trusses with belts of various lengths in stock by providing the truss at the time of manufacture with a belt sufficiently long to meet any ordinary requirement and connecting such belt with the padbody of the truss in such a manner that when too long it may be disconnected from the pad-body and cut to reduce its length to the extent desired and may then be again readily connected with the pad-body in such a manner that its rough-cut end will be hidden from View and prevented from detracting from the nish of the truss and also prevented from curlingand pressing the clothing of the patient outwardly and its opposite end will be left free for detachable connection with the pad-body.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description' and claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which;

Figure l is a perspective view of a single truss embodying our invention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4t are enlarged detail sections taken in the planes indicated by the lines w w, :c and y y, respectively, of. Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the male clasp member at one end of the belt; and Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of a portion of a double truss-Ji. e., one having two pads-embodying our invention.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, and more particularly to Figs. l to 5 thereof, A designates the pad-body or pad-holding body of a single truss-z'. c., one having but a single pad-and B designates the belt thereof, which may be formed of any material, although that which is elastic is preferred, and is designed to surround the body of a patient after the well-known manner. One end of this belt is detachably connected with the pad-holding body, so as to enable a patient to readily put on and take off the truss, such connection being preferably effected by a clasp C. (Better illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 5.) This clasp C comprises male and female members, the male member o being carried by a tab b at the end of the belt and having a loop c and a T-shaped tongue d disposed at an angle to the loop and the female member e being connected to the face of the pad-body. Said female member has a central depressed portion f for the passage of a screw g and a marginal flange h, and it is also provided in its portion fi, which is set out from the face of the pad-holding body, with three (more or less) slots j, arranged about as shown in Fig. l. One of these slots is designed to receive the T-shaped tongue d of the member a,while the other two are designed to receive the tongue of a similar member 7c on the ordinary under strap l, so as to permit of the truss being used as a right and left hand truss, as desired. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the construction of the clasp permits of one end of the belt being readily connected to or disconnected from the pad-body and this without liability of the said end of the belt becoming casually disconnected from the padholding body; also, that the construction of the clasp is such that no obstructions are afforded to catch into the clothing of the patient.

The pad-holding body A is provided with a pocket D, which may be and preferably is formed of the leather or other material covering the outer side of the pad-holding body and has its mouth or open end remote from the clasp member e, as shown. Said pad-body A is also provided on its face at a point ad- IOO jacent to the mouth of the pocket D with a buckle E. This buckle E is preferably of the Iconstruction shownthat is to say, it comprises a body-plate m, connected to the face of the pad-body and provided at its ends with angular ears n, which terminate in lateral inwardly-directed branches p, (see Fig.3,) and a tongue q, which has a finger portion i', an angular serrated or toothed portion s at the forward end of the finger portion, and tubular portions t at the opposite ends of the toothed portion s, which loosely receive the branches p of the body-plate, so as to enable the tongue to swing thereon. The pocket D is designed to receive the end portion of the belt B opposite to that carrying the tab b, as better shown in Figs. l and 2 ofthe drawings, while the buckle E is designed to fasten such end portion of the belt to the said body.

In virtue of the employment of the pocket D and buckle E the truss may be put on the market with the belt B sufficiently long for a person of very large girth and may be quickly and easily made to fit a much smaller person. T'o do this, it is simply necessary to open the buckle E and draw the end of the belt out of the pocket D, nuove it along until it isA made short enough for the person being fitted, then cut off the surplus and replace the free end in the pocket, after the manner illustrated, and close the buckle, so as to fasten it to the pad-body. When the rough-cut end of the belt is thus placed in the pocket, said pocket will prevent it from detracting from the finish of the truss and will also prevent it from curling and pressing the clothing of the wearer of the truss outwardly. Furthermore, the pocket will render it entirely unnecessary to bind the cut end of the belt, since, as above stated, it entirely hides the same from View.

It is clear from the foregoing that our improved construction of truss renders it entirely unnecessary for a retail dealer to incur the expense incident to installing and maintaining a large stock of trusses with belts of various lengths in order to be able to fit persons of different sizes.

We prefer to employ thespeciiic buckle E shown and described, because the same does not entail the formation of holes in the belt and offers but a slight projection from the face of the pad-holding body. However, the said buckle in itself forms no part of our invention and may be replaced when desired by any other buckle suitable for use in a truss.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings we have shown a double trussthat is to say, one having two pads-embodying our invention. In this construction the pad-holdin g body A is provided with two female clasp members d, similar to the member e shown in Figs. l and 2, and the belt B is provided at its opposite ends with tabs Zi' b2, having two male clasp members Ct', similar to that shown in Figs. l and 2. The tab b2 of the belt is, however, of a peculiar construction in that it is provided with a pocket D and a buckle E, similar to those with which the pad-body A' is provided, as shown in Figs. l to it. p

The modified construction illustrated in Fig. G permits of the truss-belt being shortened in the same manner and quite as easily as does the construction shown in Figs. l to 5.

It is obvious that the construction shown in Fig. 6 may be embodied in a single truss. It is preferable, however, to use the 'dilferent constructions shown for the single truss and double truss, respectively. It is also apparent that the position of the holding-buckle may be changed to suit the wishes of the trade.

We are well aware that itis old in harness to provide a covering or pocket in proximity to a buckle, the said covering or pocket being designed to receive the loose end of a strap after the same is passed through the buckle; also, that it is old in trusses to combine a pad or pad-holding body, a strap permanently connected thereto, and a second strap adjustably connected at one end to the lirst-named strap through the medium of a buckle and detachably connected at its opposite end to the pad or pad-holding body. We therefore make no claim to these constructions.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The truss described comprising a padholding body, a pocket connected with the pad-body, a buckle also connected with the pad-body and arranged in advance of the mouth of the pocket, the belt extending through and adj nstably connected to the buckle and having one of its ends removably arranged in the pocket and its other end free, and suitable means for detachably connecting the said free end of the belt with the padbody, substantially as specified.

2. In a truss, a pad-holding body, a-pocket arranged on and connected to the face of the pad-holding body and having an open end or month contiguous to one end of the same, a buckle arranged on the face of the.padhold ing body in advance of the mouth of the pocket, a belt extending through and adjustably connected to the buckle and having one of its ends removablyarrangedin tlie pocket, and its other end free, and suitable means for detachably connecting the said free end of the belt with the pad-body, substantially as speciiied.

3. In a truss, a pad-holding body havinga covering of leather or other materialen its face forming a pocket having an open end or mouth contiguous to one end of the pad-holding body, a buckle arranged on the face of the pad-holdin g body in advance of the mouth of the pocket, a belt extending through and adj ustably connected to the buckle and having one of its ends removably arranged in the pocket, and its other end free, and suitable IOO IZO

means fordetaohably Connecting the said `free l end of the belt With the pad-holding body, l substantially as specified.

et. In a truss, a pad-holding body, a female clasp member having,1 a Central depressed portion and a marginal flange bearingagainst the face of the pad-holding` bod7 and also having` a slot between said depressed portion and flange, a connecting device extendingthrougb the depressed portion of said clasp member and the pad-holding body, and a belt connected at one end with the pad-holding body and having a male clasp member at its opposite end provided With a T shaped tongue adapted to enter the slot of the female mem ber, substantially as speeiiied.

5. In a truss, a pad-holding body7 a 'female clasp member havin g a central depressed gortion and a marginal flange bearing` against the face of the pad-holding body and alsoV hav ing slots between said depressed portion and flange, a Connecting device extending through the depressed portion of said clasp member and the pad-holding` body, a belt Connected at one end with the pad-holding body and having a male clasp member at its opposite end provided with a l"shaped tongue adapted to enter one of the slots of the female member, and a strap eonneeted at one end to the belt and having` a male elasp member at its opposite end provided with a T-shaped tongue adapted to enter the other slot of the female member, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LUCIUS A. SMITH. CLEMENT SMITH. Witnesses:

CHAs. J. Dones,

Juas. KLEINHAUS. 

